Autonomous machine with adaptive controller

Abstract

An autonomous machine arranged to provide an observable measure of the mechanical energy dissipated by the machine relative to that stored by the machine, so that the decision making of the machine's control system can be based on a real energetic stress of the machine. The autonomous machine has a control system with predictive models for the internal and external environments. Both predictive models are based on the same set of information representing a common energetic basis of the machine. The set of information includes: (i) a plurality of reciprocal signals indicative of the machine's direct interactions, and (ii) a plurality of non-reciprocal signals indicative of information that is available to the machine without requiring it to expend energy. The plurality of non-reciprocal signals includes emulated signals where needed to ensure that the predictive models for the internal and external environments are based on an equivalent set of parameters.

1 . A machine capable of autonomous operation, the machine comprising:
 a rechargeable offline power supply;   a physical interface through which the machine interacts with an external environment, the physical interface comprising:
 a reciprocating interface operable in a differential mode and a common mode, wherein the reciprocating interface is configured to provide motion via a differential mode output, and to provide motion cancellation of a common mode output; and 
 a non-reciprocating interface configured to interact passively with the external environment via a non-reciprocating input; 
   a first control element configured to control internal and external operations of the machine and maintain a positive energetic state of the machine; and   a second control element disposed between the first control element and the physical interface to mediate information exchange therebetween,
 wherein the second control element is configured to communicate with the physical interface via a first set of reciprocal information channels and to communicate with the first control element via a second set of reciprocal information channels, 
 wherein the first set of reciprocal information channels includes an input channel configured to convey information into the machine from the non-reciprocating input and an emulated output channel that forms a reciprocal pair with the input channel, 
 wherein the second control element comprises a first predictive model arranged to predict communications on the first set of reciprocal information channels, and a second predictive model arranged to predict communications on the second set of reciprocal information channels, 
 wherein the first predictive model and the second predictive model are both adaptive models bound in a feedback arrangement to minimise an error energy flux between the first and second sets of reciprocal information channels, and 
   wherein the first control element is configured to maintain a common mode bias at the physical interface, and comprises a common mode regulator arranged to establish an independent parallel common mode path within the internal environment of the machine.   
     
     
         2 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the differential mode output of the reciprocating interface is configured to move the machine within the external environment, and wherein the reciprocating interface comprises at least one independent pair of reciprocating elements per dimension of movement. 
     
     
         3 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the first control element is configured to regulate the machine's positive energetic state. 
     
     
         4 . A machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the first control element is implemented by a control model that encodes instructions capable of controlling the physical interface to enable the machine to perform actions in its environment, wherein the control model is configured to operate based on an internal reference that is indicative of the energetic state of the machine, and wherein the control model adopts a first feedback loop to control the internal environment of the machine, and a second feedback loop to cause the motion required to restore the offline power supply. 
     
     
         5 . A machine according to  claim 4 , wherein the control model comprising a plurality of driver units that are arranged to determine a priority for a set of available actions, and wherein the plurality of driver units comprise a fundamental driver followed by a cascade of subsidiary drivers, wherein the fundamental driver is configured to maintain the machine's positive energy state, and wherein the first control element is configured to suspend one or more subsidiary drivers during an initial operational period. 
     
     
         6 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A machine according to  claim 4 , wherein the first control element comprises an adaptive learning module arranged to update the control model. 
     
     
         9 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the common mode regulator is driven by an internal reference signal that is indicative of the machine's positive energetic state. 
     
     
         10 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the common mode bias maintained by the first control element is arranged to cause the common mode output of the reciprocating interface to have a positive internal power dissipation, wherein the common mode regulator is configured to regulate the internal power dissipation to control an internal temperature of the machine. 
     
     
         11 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the first set of reciprocal information channels and the second set of reciprocal information channels each comprise a plurality of reciprocating channel pairs that establish a real energetic basis in the second control element. 
     
     
         12 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-reciprocating interface comprises a non-reciprocating output, and wherein the first set of reciprocal information channels further includes an output channel conveying information to the non-reciprocating output, and an emulated input channel that forms a reciprocal pair with the output channel. 
     
     
         13 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second sets of reciprocal information channels each comprise a plurality of non-reciprocating channel pairs, each channel pair consisting of a non-reciprocal that is sourced from either the first control element or the physical interface, and a corresponding emulated channel, and wherein one or more of the non-reciprocating channel pairs terminate before the first control element or the physical interface, thereby formed a stub channel. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the first predictive model is configured to generate an output that comprises a signal on all of the first set of reciprocal information channels and the second predictive model is configured to generate an output that comprises a signal on all of the second set of reciprocal information channels. 
     
     
         16 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the first predictive model and second predictive model operate towards a converged state in which the energy flux between the first and second sets of reciprocal information channels is a minimum, wherein the second control element is configured to control a pathway to the converged state in a stepwise manner, and wherein, when in a diverged state, the second control element is arranged to identify an observable rendering of the energy flux between the first and second sets of reciprocal information channels at the physical interface, and control the pathway to the converged state based on the identified rendering. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A machine according to  claim 16 , wherein the second control element is configured to modulate the pathway to the converged state. 
     
     
         19 . A machine according to  claim 1  configured in a distributed manner over a plurality of physical sub-components. 
     
     
         20 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the first control element is configured to generate non-linear response on one or more of the second set of reciprocal information channels. 
     
     
         21 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the second control element is arranged to introduce a perturbation in the first predictive model and/or the second predictive model. 
     
     
         22 . A method of operating an autonomous machine, the machine comprising:
 a rechargeable offline power supply;   a physical interface through which the machine interacts with an external environment, the physical interface comprising:
 a reciprocating interface operable in a differential mode and a common mode, wherein the reciprocating interface is configured to provide motion via a differential mode output, and to provide motion cancellation of a common mode output; and 
 a non-reciprocating interface configured to interact passively with the external environment via a non-reciprocating input; 
   a first control element configured to control internal and external operations of the machine and maintain a positive energetic state of the machine; and   a second control element disposed between the first control element and the physical interface to mediate information exchange therebetween,
 wherein the second control element is configured to communicate with the physical interface via a first set of reciprocal information channels and to communicate with the first control element via a second set of reciprocal information channels, 
 wherein the first set of reciprocal information channels includes an input channel configured to convey information into the machine from the non-reciprocating input and an emulated output channel that forms a reciprocal pair with the input channel, 
 wherein the second control element comprises a first predictive model arranged to predict communications on the first set of reciprocal information channels, and a second predictive model arranged to predict communications on the second set of reciprocal information channels, 
 wherein the first predictive model and the second predictive model are both adaptive models bound in a feedback arrangement to minimise an error energy flux between the first and second sets of reciprocal information channels, 
   wherein the first control element is configured to maintain a common mode bias at the physical interface, and comprises a common mode regulator arranged to establish an independent parallel common mode path within the internal environment of the machine, and   wherein the method comprises:
 determining an error energy flux between the first and second sets of reciprocal information channels based on an observable property of the physical interface; 
 adapting one or both of the first predictive model and the second predictive model based on the determined error energy flux. 
   
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the first predictive model and the second predictive model each comprise a layered hierarchical model, and wherein adapting one or both of the first predictive model and the second predictive model comprises selecting a layer to add to or change in each hierarchical model to reduce the error energy flux. 
     
     
         24 . A computer program product comprising computer readable instructions stored on a non-transitory carrier, wherein the computer readable instructions are executable by a computer to perform a method according to  claim 22 .